10 Spitfire Facts

“Never before had so much brain-power been focused on a single problem.”(Laurence qtd. in “Eyewitness”). Many inventions can be said to have changed the world, and the way it worked. Only a core few of these many inventions can be said to change air warfare, and few of those are as game-changing as the B-29 Superfortress by Boeing. The B-29 was the plane that dropped the atomic bombs in World War Two (“bomber”). The plane by Boeing was used most in World War Two as a strategic long-range bomber. This invention revolutionized the concept of war, and war is a factor in all life on planet earth. The B-29 bomber changed warfare by sparking the innovation of aircraft technology, saving lives, and allowing more power to be carried by the means

Airplanes were in a similar position as tanks - the technology was really too new and immature for effective combat use. At best, the airplane provided better observation and reconnaissance ability than previously available, but, in a static trench-warfare setting (with the commonly poor European weather), the amount of benefit this provided is easy to overstate. Tactical and strategic bombing was non-existent; the airplane would have to wait for the wars of

The way that society functioned would forever be changed by the advances made during the war. For example, air warfare was central to the tactics used in WWII, and planes needed constant updates so that air warfare could be as efficient and safe as possible. “Air superiority was the goal of both the Allies and the Axis, each dedicating as much man/woman and machine power possible to produce the ultimate air weapon” (source 2) Thus, jet aircraft were born. Consistent effort and the stress of war produce significant technological progress. Due to aircraft innovation, after the war, commercial passenger planes came into existence.. Passenger planes and the changes they inspired would never be possible without the aviation progress necessitated by WWII. In the modern day, due to concerns about soldiers’ safety and the issue of human error, war has begun to be fought by self driving ground and air

But, the aircrafts were eventually used for more than scouting ahead it later turned into a point of emphasis of where the war would take place. Using this source to support my thesis will help give a better understanding of what I will be writing about. I will be using this source to help the development of sub-points that I will be using in my research paper. The context of this source will help out on the claims and development of things I will discuss in my paper, and I will not use this document to disagree

By the time the Germans launched their air offensive against Fighter Britain 1940 Command had planes ready for immediate action. During the Battle of Britain these figures remained roughly constant as increased aircraft production made good high losses. These 700 or so planes were really all that stood between Hitler and complete victory insofar as all of continental Europe by this time was either Nazi- occupied, neutral or allied with Hitler's Germany. If the RAF failed to deny the Luftwaffe control of the skies, then 'Operation Sealion', the proposed Nazi invasion of Britain, could proceed and there's no doubt that had Hitler's armies crossed the Channel, then Britain would have been knocked out of the war. The fact that the Battle of Britain

Ships were also revolutionized during the World War II era. Naval technology was very poor at the time, but once radar technology was developed, navigation and detection was made much easier for submarine and ship pilots. The invention of radar was still very new — being developed only 2 years prior to the start of World War II. Hours of experimentation and development were poured into enhancing radar technology so that the allied forces could better combat the Nazi fleet. Aircrafts were also made more advanced during World War II. Aviation in general was very new at the time, so optimizing what basic aircrafts we had at the time for battle (by equipping them with guns and bombs) was a challenging feat. Considering the first powered flight had taken place only in 1903, only 40 years before

The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was a single-engine, single-seat, metal fighter plane and ground-attack aircraft that was made by the Americans. The P-40 Warhawk fighters first flew in 1938 and caught the attention of the United States Army Air Corps, who placed the largest fighter plane order it had ever made for fighters for a count of 524 at a cost of US$13 million. This was the earliest serious fighter in WWII and did its job until better fighters came out. It was known as a safe and secure aircraft that was able to fly pilots back home after being shot up in action. Many variants of this plane were later created. In addition, the shark teeth graphics were a big feature on this plane.

Britain’s air force was a vital part of their military and defence when Hitler attempted to gain air superiority over England through the German Luftwaffe which was led by Hermann Göering. The radar system used to detect aerial attack in Britain was flawed in the beginning of the war and there was a shortage of anti-air craft guns. Radar could not predict the size and height of incoming enemy bombers and lacked detail that was necessary and vital for effective defence preparations. At the start of the Blitz, there were only 92 anti-air craft guns to defend London and the guns were outdated with a terrible fire control system.

"World War 2 was a war fought in two distinct phases. The first was the last war of a new generation. The second was emphatically the first of a new era" . <br><br>"The British strategic bomber campaign was of doubtful cost effectiveness" . Bomber Command was by far the largest claimant on labour and factory space within the armed forces. Relative to their size they suffered more casualties than any other sector. <br><br>The Anglo-American bomber force was divided in terms of strategy. Bomber Command believed it was too risky to bomb by day, while the Americans believed it was too difficult to bomb by night. Initially both forces lacked accurate navigational equipment, which deterred them from precision bombing. <br><br>Germany developed a

Before and during the Second World War people were fascinated with flight, the speed and the idea of flying high in the sky has kept people interested. Bombers and fighters alike both change dramatically in the twenty years after the Great War. From cloth wings to metal wings planes became bigger, faster, agile, and can hold a lot more fire power. The air war has changes significantly since the First World War. During the First World War bombers played a big role in the air war and after it left many questions whether it is the way to win wars. There has been speculation that future wars would be won by bombers and it can crush and the enemies at home and also the soldiers. Both book, Wartime by Fusslle and Why the Allies Won by Overy explain in depth what was the actual outcome of bombers and their roles before and after the war.

One of the coolest World War 2 weapon ever built to fight was the P-51 Mustang. The P-51 Mustang was the first U.S. built fighter airplane to push its nose over Europe. Mustangs fought every German plane from the Junkers to the twin-jet Messerschmitt 262s. The mustang excelled in hedge hopping strafing runs and long range escort duty. It blasted trains, ships, and enemy installations in Western Europe. It got one of the highest honors in 1944 by the Truman senate war investigating committee. 15,000 were built. Overall, World War 2 brought lots of changes with it. However, the change that overcame everything was the advancement of

The introduction of the new long-range planes helped reduce the hazards of this dangerous portion of battle. Avro Lancaster was a British four-engined bomber which was implemented in warfare during the Battle of the Atlantic of the Second World War used by the Royal Air Force. It was first active as a strategic bombing offensive, and then became the main heavy bomber used by the RAF and RCAF. The Lancaster took upon the role of a long-range anti-submarine patrol aircraft and air sea rescue. It was also used as an aerial mapping resource to figure out where German U-boats most commonly attacked, hence figuring out where they usually place, with this information the Allies were able to strategically place counterattacks. The Avro Lancaster also carried passengers and delivered weapons to Britain and the Soviet Union.

Known as the ‘Merlin’ it used lightweight materials and with the help of a supercharger to blow air into the huge 27 liters of its twelve cylinders could also produce up to 1,000 hp (Downing). This amazing engine would prove to be to be a crucial ingredient to not only the Spitfire but a whole range of other aircrafts. The United States modified the Merlin and used it in their planes as well (Lund). The airframe was the next step. Instead of listening to the Air Ministry specifications, Mitchell stuck to his own ideas. With the original creation consisting of a closed cockpit, folding wheels and the low, sleek outline of a racing machine the design incorporated features far in advance of official thinking. This was so unlike other designs that the conservative people at the Ministry were convinced it was the wrong design (Downing). They requested a bulldog, but Mitchell threw them a greyhound. By 1934-35 a few senior officials were starting to grasp the importance of speed and accepted that a revolution was taking place in aircraft design, this meant Mitchell was no longer a lone voice in the darkness. As Reginald's drawings were turned into 3D shapes the full complexity of his fighter became clear to the people but so did the problems. The plane was divided into five sections:two wings, engine, fuselage and tail. The airframes were formed of aluminium,

Towards the end of the War the airplane becomes a practical device of war being able to carry weapons. Anthony Fokker and Louis Bleriot create the most successful of early modern biplanes known as the D-VII and D-VIII. Biplanes are eventually taken over by the monoplane, or one wing. This new design allowed for faster flight and better visibility for the pilot. Air-cooled engines lead the way for commercial aircraft, and Boeing introduces the first modern airliner the 247. Airplanes are effected the greatest by supply and demand of war. New styles of war begun to emerge so did new and improved types of aircraft. The population of the U.S. also begun to grow which leads to the modern most sophisticated commercial airliner the 777. Most aircraft improvements are found in the military and intelligence field. The most high tech aircraft known today for such things as spying are the SR-71 Blackbird, and the U-2 Spy plane. The most complicated and best aircraft performance is still held by the space shuttle and probably always will be. The last 200 years have seen incredible changes in aircraft from the man with wings to heavier than air flying machines that can travel at supersonic speeds.

The P-38 Lightning was instrumental in the success of World War 2. The P-38 was designed based on a need to fill a short coming against the Luftwaffe. Through a large variety of requirements for a new aircraft the P-38 was born. It contained a complex design which involved a new style of aircraft containing two fuselages. This type of design allowed for several modifications which was ultimately responsible for the P-38s success.